COD hikes tuition, fees $13 per credit hour

Tuition costs at College of DuPage have risen an average of $4 annually for the past five years.

Next year isn't going to be average.

Citing expected state funding shortcomings, the college's board of trustees has approved plans to boost tuition by $9 per credit hour and increase fees another $4 starting with the summer semester.

That means most COD students will pay $129 per credit hour vs. the $116 most pay now. For out-of-district, nursing and dental hygiene students, the cost is higher.

"There's a limit to how much a community college can charge its students and we're bumping right up against it," COD President Robert Breuder said.

COD's tuition rate is the second highest in the state among junior colleges.

Finance officials told the board community colleges throughout Illinois are being warned to expect just 50 percent of the state's payments in the coming fiscal year. COD receives half its funding from tax revenue, 41 percent from tuition and fees and 8.5 percent from the state. If the state funding is cut in half, it will result in a $6.5 million shortfall.

The tuition and fee hike would result in an extra $4.95 million in revenue and an anticipated 3 percent spike in enrollment would cover the remaining shortfall, officials said.

COD experienced a significant increase in enrollment last fall after a major marketing campaign. Breuder said the college is forecasting a conservative enrollment increase for the coming year because of the mystery surrounding state funding.

"Nobody knows what we're going to get from Springfield," he said.

Breuder said students will see benefits from the increased construction and technology fees. He said the college has invested about $8 million in a new software system that increased campuswide computer capabilities.

A hiring freeze remains in effect as well and Breuder said college officials are still exploring ways to shave costs throughout the district.

Dental hygiene and nursing tuition costs were doubled last year because of the demand placed on those spots and the higher cost of offering the courses. Health and Sciences Dean Tom Cameron said those classes will remain double the price of other classes on campus in the coming year. But the college is only allowed a maximum of 117 nursing students and 28 dental hygiene students each year.